In interviews, Republicans made clear they want to kill health reform and see an alliance with Conservative Democrats as the best way to make it go down in flames. The Stupak Amendment “dropped a bomb” in the Democratic conference.

A clique of anti-choice Democrats in Congress joined forces with Republicans to pass an amendment forcing women to choose between affordable health insurance and abortion coverage, even if they pay for abortion coverage with their own money. Pro-choice Democrats and women’s health activists are up in arms over the eleventh hour deal

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was among the first to call for an “abortion-neutral” health care bill in July, defined as maintaining current policies on funding, mandates, and conscience protections. But then they reneged on the deal.

There are many Democrats who can be counted on to show their cards to the opponent, equivocate, vacillate and wave the white flag before the game has even started, as did Senator McCaskill this week on the Stupak Amendment.

In the midst of foaming-at-the-mouth at the political give-and-take in health care reform, many prominent pundits neglected to properly inform the public that Stupak’s language allowed for a major incursion into women’s rights.